The Race We Run

- June 25, 2025

Another school year has come to an end. For families with school-aged kids, this brings a mix of emotions. Thinking back on the past year with its ups and downs; trials and successes; all the growing pains in between; and the joys of a job well done for each individual child. One of the great wisdoms imparted on me regarding my four kids has been to embrace the idea that their development is a marathon, not a sprint. As it turns out, this sagely perspective has not only been wisdom for parenting our kids, but it has also proven to be Godly wisdom for the spiritual life of all Followers of Jesus.

During a recent message in the series “Living Jesus” studying the Book of Acts, Lead Pastor Drew Shoffner at The Church at Seven Run equated the faith journey and Christian life to a marathon. “It’s like a marathon,” he said, “simple in concept, difficult in execution.” The act of putting one foot in front of another in the action of running itself is simple. But running the 26.2 mile distance of a marathon race is in fact quite a challenge! It requires endurance and perseverance on an often unknown terrain with unanticipated challenges that may be both internal and external.

It is amazing to see how God’s timeless hand inspires our thinking centuries after Jesus’ first disciples ignited the early Church through the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, we see the theme of running a race used among the authors writing to Christ’s growing Church, encouraging the early Followers of Jesus in their perseverance in the faith. As the writer of Hebrews tells us:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

We can apply their encouragement to our own individual “race” as we grow in sanctification, loving others well and living Jesus to the world in the faith today. Every Follower of Jesus is running their own race. Every race has:

A starting point: John 3:16 provides the beginning of our race, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” When we come to repentance and accept Jesus as our Savior, we set out on the race of our faith in Him. We all begin at a different place – some of us are lifelong Followers while others place their faith in Jesus much further into their lives. But Jesus is the door (John 10: 9), and we enter into our race through Him when we knock and the door is opened to us.
A race course: Every race has its course with hills and valleys to travel. The journey of faith in following Jesus is not a road that is without trials or tribulation. In fact, Jesus Himself reminds us that in this world we will have trouble (John 16:33). The letter of James encourages us in our perseverance through the various trials of life as we run our race in Christ “for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:3). While no race course is the same, every Follower of Christ can be confident that Jesus is the Way (John 14:6). A growing personal relationship with Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit through prayer, reading Scripture, and Christ-centered community will help each Follower of Jesus to walk with Him through life, growing in love and Christ-likeness with hope and joy to face the circumstances and struggles with sin that we all face at different moments along the way.
A team: the race of faith in Christ is a team event! The Body of Christ, His Church, is a union of Followers of Jesus with Him. We are not individuals gaining points against each other through works or worldly successes, but sinners growing into saints, a “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrew 12:1) who are to build one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11) and carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). And we are to seek new members to join our team! Jesus instructs His Followers to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). We are each given this commission, starting in our own homes and going out into our communities, bearing witness to and sharing the Gospel.
A finish line: every race has an end. The race of faith ends in the arms of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Where we began our race in John 3:16, we also know where we end – “whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” In death or at the moment of His second coming, we will be reunited with Him, clothed in His righteousness and brought into the presence of God. While the finish line remains a bit of mystery to us, we can be confident in the conclusion of our race of faith and assured of the gift of our salvation in Him.
A prize: what reward do we gain at the end of the race? The free gift of everlasting life! But that is not all. In fact, in this race we have been given the prize from the start: the presence of God and abundant life through the entire race course as we grow to abide in Christ in the here and now! The discipline of running the race gives us the prize in abundant living now as we learn to grow in obedience out of love for Him who loved us first in the person and work of Jesus. The Apostle Paul encourages us as we seek the prize of our lives in 1 Corinthians 9:24:

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

Where are you in your race today, Brothers and Sisters? Wherever you find yourself – at the start, running up a hill, in the green pasture or the valley, let us all keep our eyes fixed on our prize, Jesus Christ. One day we will all be able to say as 2 Timothy 4:7 says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Until then, there is still good to be done, goodness of the LORD to be seen, the joy of the LORD to experience, and the love of Christ to feel and share as you seek Him each day and share Him along the way.